


Of Romance and World Domination

by Tatsumama



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Other, ZADF, also some, also the reader uses they/them pronouns, bc I said all of you who like Zim have rights, promise it'll get shippy soon, rating subject to change but this is fine for now, zim trying his best to be evil as always
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-14
Updated: 2019-09-23
Packaged: 2020-10-18 07:03:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20635085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tatsumama/pseuds/Tatsumama
Summary: Zim decides that manipulating a human into falling in love with him would benefit his plan for world domination by having them devoted to him. This backfires when he ends up developing feelings for them himself.





	1. What They Don't Know Can't Hurt Them

It was the perfect plan. Not that his other plans ever had any flaws, but this one was a step above the rest. Zim sat back on his designated dorm room bed, mattress creaking as the alien shifted his weight. The sun died down below the horizon outside the window, casting stray rays of orange and pink across the dim room. Crimson eyes watched his roommate intently, eagerly awaiting his response. Silence gripped the space between them, the only sound being the rhythmic tick-tick-ticking of the clock the human had purchased during their first year of college. It wasn’t like the Irken to be afraid to speak out, but when it came to human issues, he preferred waiting for feedback.

A heavy sigh left the young man on the opposing side of the room, his laptop shut in frustration. Dib had been listening half-heartedly, trying to focus on his homework. The new school year had just begun, yet the assignments had already taken over most of his time. He should’ve known it was useless. Almost ten years of dealing with the alien and he still attempted to get work done when Zim went on a rant. Rubbing his eyes in an attempt to clear his vision from the bright screen, Dib turned to face Zim. The green boy eyed him curiously.

“Well?” Zim asked cautiously, head tilting slightly. 

“I’m sorry, what were you saying you were going to do again?”

The Irken’s antennae drooped at the response, his expression morphing into annoyance. It wasn’t like Dib had never ignored him before, he did it on a regular basis, but it was never any less bothersome. He huffed, wanting to make sure Dib was aware of his mistake in not fully giving him his attention. All it earned was an eyeroll, as it always did. He’d make Dib work harder this time for the information. Bouncing up to his feet, he readied himself. Confidence. This was his next best plan, after all. He had to make this count...again. Brown eyes half-heartedly watched him from behind round lenses as he cleared his throat.

“What would you say humans desire the most?” 

It was condescending, an obvious setup, but one that had to be taken. Dib rolled his eyes, knowing that if he actually wanted to get any work done tonight, he’d have to play Zim’s game and hear him out. Eh, so be it.

“Money? Power? You got me.” Dib spoke flatly. Truth be told, he hadn’t the slightest idea, but he wasn’t exactly the most normal person to ask either. The man rooming with an alien invader and maintaining an interest in the paranormal into his twenties wasn’t exactly the average adult human he should be seeking answers from about what’s considered normal. Not like it really mattered to Zim, he supposed. A chuckle escaped the Irken, drawing his attention back in.

“You’re wrong, Dib, it’s love.” 

Oh. That he wasn’t expecting. A cocky grin formed on the alien’s face as the investigator’s eyes went wide. Love? Zim, talking about love? It was so foreign to consider. The boy barely experienced anything other than smugness, anger, or irritation. As far as Dib knew, Irkens didn’t experience love, at least, not romantically speaking. He’d come to learn more about the species over time and knew that they were militant and didn’t naturally breed, so partnerships like humans had didn’t seem to really mesh with their society. It only furthered his curiosity.

“Alright, Zim, I’ll bite. What do you know about love?” Dib challenged. The closest to romantic he’s ever seen Zim be with someone was with Tak all those years ago, before they had found out that she too was an Irken. He doubted that counted, considering Zim was never actually invested in her nor did much at all to further their ‘relationship’.

“Zim knows everything about love! You humans find desirable qualities in another, acquire ‘feelings’, become partners, and eventually become mates, correct?” It was a question, but only because Zim knew he’d get the answer he desired.

Dib considered the statement briefly before nodding.

“Kind of a barebones version of it, but yeah. What’s with your sudden interest in it, though?” The investigator questioned, cocking an eyebrow.

“In these partnerships, you are completely devoted to the other person, yes?” Another probe for answers, succeeded by another nod.

“I guess so, why?” A dangerous question, but he had no way out of asking.

A low chuckle filled the room, reverberating against the walls of their cramped dorm. If he were the same child he was all those years ago when he first met the Irken, he’d have been more worried. Now the young man sat in silence, waiting for his roommate to finish and get to his point.

“If a human were to fall in love with me, they would be mine to control! A love-pig to do my bidding!” The alien boy was practically beaming, a smile crossing his face from ear to ear. 

Silence followed as Dib took in the information. Irritation overtook him as the puzzle pieces snapped into place.

“So let me get this right, you plan on trying to manipulate someone into loving you just so you can use them for...I don’t know, experiments, information, or something similar, and that’s all?”

“Correct! You’ve gotten smarter, Dib-stink!”

Manipulating someone’s feelings for his own benefit. It wasn’t that Zim couldn’t be underhanded about his plans, but this was a new low. The Tak situation hadn’t bothered Dib much, especially considering the outcome, but the idea of Zim actually potentially hurting someone like that made his skin crawl.

“You really are the worst, you know?” The words left his mouth with venom, but the malice was brushed off, as always.

“Flattery will get you nowhere, Dib! Plus, I already have a target picked out, so the plan is already in motion, whether you like it or not,” Zim mocked, smug grin still plastered on his face, “I plan to start my courtship of them tomorrow.”

A million questions flooded Dib. Who was Zim after? Where were they? Could Dib intervene? Would he be able to save them from getting their heartbroken on the chance that they do end up falling for Zim? Even if it was someone he didn’t know, he didn’t want anyone to get hurt because of his stupid alien friend thinking it was fun to toy with hearts. Maybe he’d get lucky and they’d get him back. It’d be nice to see Zim get his ass handed to him by someone other than him for once. Yeah. He would deserve it. He needed to get what he deserved for once. 

“You know what? Go ahead!”

“Eh? You...want me to go through with my plan?” Zim asked, confusion filling his voice.

“Sure! We should probably sleep, though, relationships are hard work and you need to be rested!” He beamed.

Crimson eyes were narrowed in suspicion, but Dib left no room for retaliation from the Irken. His laptop was quickly stored away, his glasses discarded on the nightstand, and their light flicked off, leaving the green boy standing in the dark as the other crawled into his own bed.

“Goodnight, Zim!” Dib called over his shoulder cheerfully, turning to face the opposite wall.

“Dib.”

“Yes?”

“It is 8:30pm.”

“Gotta be well-rested for the big day!”

“I do not require sleep.”  


No answer followed the alien boy’s statement, the clock once again filling their silence. Dib waited, only relieved when he heard the other boy shuffle into his own bed. His homework would remain incomplete, but he could always do it in the morning. Besides, he was about to get a front row seat to watching someone else finally punish Zim for being...himself. Although their feud was mostly a thing of the past, the human still held some resentment to the events of his past. A soft smile formed on his lips as he drifted off. Tomorrow would begin Zim’s plan, and would mark the beginning of the greatest payoff of Dib’s life. He wouldn’t miss it for the world.


	2. Study Buddies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zim sets his plan into motion by approaching his target about a study date. They're under the impression he just wants to help.

The day had crept on ever so slowly, each glance down at your phone making you painfully aware of how long you had left before you could return to the safety of your room. Calculus wasn’t the most interesting subject to you, but it was required for your degree, so you had to endure. An alarm rang out from the podium, the professor’s phone signalling the conclusion of today’s lesson. Papers shuffled, succeeded by the sound of chairs scooting across the tile floor as the students rose from their seats. Your backpack was lifted to hang over one shoulder, buttons clinking as you exited the classroom. 

Fingers fumbled with the smartphone in your hands as you strolled through the halls. Next was astronomy class, you knew that much, but the semester had just begun and you needed to double check the room number still. You liked astronomy, hell, you loved it, but certain aspects of it...just never clicked. Math wasn’t really your greatest subject, so when anything involving numbers arose, you tuned it out. The stars, the planets, the endless vastness of everything surrounding the world you called home, that was what fascinated you. Who knows what was truly out there waiting?

A smile settled on your lips as you crossed the threshold into room 235, heading for your desk in the far corner. The chair beside yours was taken with its usual occupant, his lilac pupils focused on you since you entered the room. He shot you a smile, which you returned. Truthfully, you two hadn’t talked that much. You knew his name, Zim, and that he apparently was roommates with Dib, a boy who had helped you with your struggle through your Physics class your previous year. He tended to be on the louder side, but it didn’t really bother you. There was also the green skin thing, but nobody else questioned it, and you didn’t want to be rude so you just rolled with it. 

“Hello, Y/N,” Zim beamed, watching as you slid into the spot next to him. You hadn’t been expecting him to speak, jumping slightly at the sudden conversation. A laugh was stifled, but wouldn’t be addressed. You settled into your seat, giving the other a warm smile as you looked up to meet his gaze. 

“Hey, Zim. Looking forward to class today?” You questioned. He had done extremely well in the course so far, that much you knew. You weren’t quite sure how, considering he seemed to rarely pay attention. When he did, it was usually to criticize the information given anyway. Not like the guy was a rocket scientist or anything, but no one had the information to refute him, so he got away with it. The person in question nodded his head in response, though looking bored the entire time.

“Yes, yes, but after class will be much more enjoyable,” Zim responded, face once more lighting up as he continued, “You see, Y/N, Zim has something to ask of you.”

Something to ask of you? Your brows raised as you were filled with curiosity. Your mouth opened to question further, but the slam of a textbook against the metal podium at the chalkboard summoned the attention of both you and your desk neighbor. It’d have to wait then, unfortunately for you. A side glance to the young man beside you caught his eye, a small smile forming on his face before his attention turned back to the older gentleman shouting about quasars and frantically flipping through torn pages. You turned back, trying to absorb as much information as you could. With how you struggled, you needed to focus. Tuning your concerns about Zim’s question out, you flipped your notebook open and honed in on the lecture.

The rest of the class went pretty smoothly. The professor lectured through most of the hour and a half that the class was allotted in the room, occasionally stopping to jot down scribbles he called notes across the murky board. You had managed to get most of them for once, you think, so that was at least a bit satisfying. 

You had almost forgotten about the earlier discussion, your hands busy with stuffing your supplies back into the safety of your backpack. Around you, the class emptied rapidly, students eager to either return to their dorms for the evening or find friends. You had thought you’d be the last to exit as you zipped your bag closed, that is, until a pair of midnight boots crept into the corners of your vision. The owner was obvious, yet you pretended to be unknowing as your gaze traveled upwards.

“Oh, I didn’t know you were still here, Zim,” you said, voice holding a slight cheery nature. 

The young man looked as if he didn’t quite believe it, but nevertheless, he didn’t raise an objection. Eagerness seemed to radiate off him, though he appeared to be trying not to show it. Arms that lay across his chest and a slight shift in his weight from one leg to the other as a gloved hand nervously toyed with the fabric of his sleeve practically spelled out ‘I’m desperately trying to play it cool’ to you. You would’ve giggled at his efforts, had you two been closer. You opted for hearing him out instead. He was avoiding eye contact now, pupils searching the room for anything other than your eyes to look at.

“You like astronomy, yes?”

It was a more simple question than you had expected. The two of you had discussed your love of space before prior to class beginning one day. That was the first time you’d seen him smile in class, so you figured he must’ve been really into it too. Since, he had made an effort of talking to you about such every now and then at the least. It was probably something important to him, you figured. 

“Yeah, I’m just not that great at numbers or paying attention,” you responded, a slight laugh at your own statement. It was true, in all fairness. You liked planets, just not calculating their orbits or distance from stars at certain times or whatever else you were required to do using a calculator. Zim cleared his throat slightly, nodding in acknowledgment. 

“Yes, well, since you are admitting that you are in need of assistance, I would like to offer mine.” The green boy refused to hold eye contact as he awaited your response.

A hefty silence fell over the classroom. It wasn’t what you were expecting him to ask, not by a longshot. Since starting college roughly 3 years prior, social interactions hadn’t really been your strength. Some friends from high school still stuck around, sure, but nights alone favored school clubs and strangers. Now here the peculiar green boy who excelled in the class you were fighting through was seemingly offering his assistance. It sure seemed like an attempt at friendship, on the surface. He had no real reason to offer his help, yet here he was, coming to you to ask if he could assist you. There wasn’t anything in it for him, just helping someone succeed. A smile tugged at your lips. A friend did sound nice.

“I’d like that.” You grinned, watching his eyes return to meet yours, a new found confidence in his posture. 

“Of course you would. Now, we should discuss our meeting time and location…”.

The details were hashed out between the two of you, with an agreement made to meet at his home outside of town this Saturday night. He had a room on campus, but mentioned something about Dib being present all weekend and potentially ‘ruining his plans’. Thankfully, his hometown wasn’t too far and you had a car, so it wasn’t much of a problem. It did worry you slightly to be going to the house of some guy you barely knew by yourself, but you’d text a few people the location before you headed there, just to be safe. Phone numbers were exchanged before you two parted, either of you going your separate ways down the hall with a wave.

There wasn’t anything wrong with giving this a shot. You needed the help, and Zim seemed more than capable of giving the assistance you needed. Actual tutors were way more stressful and took time to set up appointments with, so what was so bad about avoiding all that and potentially making a friend along the way? You’d look forward to Saturday, you decided. Judging by how your companion had grinned as you exchanged information earlier, he would be too. Saturday would benefit you both, you supposed. Turning on your heels, you began the long walk towards your room with a slight skip in your step.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long, school and work have been kinda kicking my butt! I'll try to update more often in the future though! Also thank you to newgman and Chocolategoo for being my proofreaders for this chapter! And another big thank you to everyone who commented on the last chapter! It means a lot that you guys like my writing and I'll try my best to continue making y'all happy!


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